Motorsports Recap And Behind The Scenes Access

Pritchett leans on friend Schnatter for Vegas funding

By Anthony Caruso III

Top Fuel Dragster pilot Leah Pritchett was not scheduled to compete at the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. That’s when she called on a friend of hers.

She made a phone call to John Schnatter, who is the former Chairman of Papa John’s Pizza. The past several years, Pritchett was sponsored by Papa John’s before the sponsorship ended at the conclusion of the 2018 season.

Papa John's

Papa John’s image on Leah Pritchett’s Top Fuel Dragster (Photo by Michael Dennis)

“We’re sitting second in the points, and the goal continues to be, as it always has been, to contend for a championship,” Pritchett said. “We want to be tick in the hunt come November. The best way to do that is to run all 24 races. Not only does that keep you in the points, but it continues to bank data. We were originally unfunded for the Vegas Four-Wide event, which means we would’ve been parked for this specific race.

“I didn’t want that for my team, they’ve worked too hard to sit and have to watch as spectators, so I called upon a longtime supporter, who immediately offered up the funding needed to keep this car on the track this weekend. Thank you, John Schnatter, for stepping up and giving our team a shot at racing for the Vegas Four-Wide Wally.”

Pritchett is presently fourth after the first day of the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. She went 3.743 at 328.06 mph.

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